Technology changes the way we’re wired, from smart phones eroding our working memory, to GPS’s effect on our command of local geography, to our dependence on the dopamine that bathes our brains whenever someone smashes that like button. If we’re honest, haven’t we all experienced shorter attention spans, a lack of focus when multitasking, increasing frustration with perfectly acceptable wait times, and maybe just a smidgeon of impulsivity and reactivity?
Although AI itself is not new, generative AI is presently the hottest craze, and we have yet to fully understand how it will change our perceptions, reasoning, and intellect. Along with conversations about AI’s expanding carbon footprint and the job losses (and shifts) that its adoption will bring, it’s also time for serious discussion about how AI will affect the way we think, create, and interact with other human beings.
Don’t get me wrong. I benefit from AI every day: I use chatbots to quickly troubleshoot and resolve minor problems, stalk my DoorDash order on GPS, use predictive text when performing rote writing tasks, and love the convenience of AI responses in email and chats. But to say this hasn’t changed the way I perceive the world and interact with my fellow humans would be a lie.
As we continue to integrate AI into our lives, we should guard against its very human pitfalls:
- Lazy thinking. You simply can’t rely on AI to do your critical thinking for you. Whether it’s the meeting itinerary that ChatGPT spit out or the boatload of search results Siri returned, think about what you’re doing. Think about what you want your meeting to accomplish. Perform some active research to check your assumptions before passively relying on Siri’s first suggestion. And that paper, email, or blog you generated? It still requires new ideas, analysis, and your own perspective. It should also be fact-checked, edited, proofread, and reviewed for bias.
- Increased social inequality. No matter how you slice it, those in already vulnerable socioeconomic groups will probably be hurt the most. Are the education, government, and business sectors prepared for this shift? Nope. They’re already behind.
- Bias. Machine-based learning systems are trained on enormous amounts of data, and this data is based on the world as it currently exists. This means that the dominant culture is represented more favorably and in greater proportion than minority groups. The result is algorithmic oppression. Unless we do the deep societal work to change our biases, our algorithms will reflect them.
- Moral and ethical decisions. AI itself is morally neutral. It’s up to humans to act as responsible stewards of these tools. From political deepfakes (see a six-fingered Donald Trump praying in church), to taking credit for work that is not your own, to creating a resume or pitch letter that grossly misrepresents your abilities, there are boundless moral and ethical dangers to traverse. It’s our duty to use technology wisely, and our track record on that has never been stellar.
While we chart the unnavigated waters of generative AI, it’s crucial that we stay alert to the way the new technology may be changing us. Here are a few preventive measures.
- Don’t let your critical-thinking skills wither. The ability to question assumptions, analyze data and ideas, and make judgments based on reason is inherently human. These skills will only be more in demand as other folks succumb to lazy thinking.
- Don’t let your writing muscles atrophy. Writing involves critical thinking, planning, pre-writing, drafting, revising, editing, and proofreading. And good writing strives to say something new or say something old in a new way. It’s not prompt generation. It’s not taking dictation from fully formed thoughts as they emanate from your brain. It’s an actual art and skill. Practice it, hone it, and enjoy it by reading everything you can get your hands on.
- Don’t let your visual skills deteriorate. While it’s easy to use the newest AI to bring your ideas to life, visual ideas, like writing, don’t emerge from the imagination completely developed. If you are striving to communicate an idea with a visual, pick up a piece of paper and pencil (or tablet and stylus, I’m not a Luddite) and sketch out what you’re thinking. Your creativity will surprise you.
- Keep your bullshit meter set to high alert. The potential to fall for fake news, fake images, garbage information, and all sorts of chicanery is increasing exponentially. Are you hungry, angry, lonely, tired? You’re vulnerable. Are you multitasking and stressed? You’re vulnerable.
Stop. Breathe. Take a moment to feel your feet on the floor. Pause to remember that you are an irreplaceably beautiful human being with a juicy human heart that is currently sending glorious oxygen to your incomparable human brain.
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